Engine starter



Aug. 22, 1933. w. McGRATH 1,923,990

ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct. 20 1920 z Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 22, 1933. w. 1.. McGRATH ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct. 20. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fra 7 77/65 656 Wm- M k 9 W 45 The driving member is here in the form of a x' a 33 inqumedhifl'abracket 34611 e t 1 f Patented Aug. 22, 1933 v I I 7 mil-miezseeo 7 ENGINE sriia'rnn Anplieatien Oetober 2:), lfi-Zih Serial, 418,266 '25 Claifms. rel. e

My invention relates to an engine starter made separate or integraltherewith butfprefer a dapted to start an engine such as an internal ably separate for facility *rlariufaoture; 'combustion' engine and to that part of an engine control or screw nieinber is a nut 14 starterknown as the drive or transmission. The threaded upon the screw shaft and provided at 5 object of my invention is to provide a simple. enione'end with 'a fiang'el5'foirning'a 'oornpler'nenta'ry Q cie nt and reliable drive of novel construction and Contact or bearingsurface'to"the tlange 13. 'The mode of operation andoi that type which is semiflange 13 is of greatef diameter than the flange automatic, that is one in which the drivingmern- 15 with the result that an annular portion ofthe I ber or pinion isbrought into engagement with a flange 13 proj'eets' beyond theflangel'fi thereby 1- member of the engine to'be started such as the 'p'r'oviding a portion for the cooperation 'of'the Cf flywheeiby manually operated means, and dis-' manually operated rn'eans therewithfas' 'here'inengaged therefromautoinaticallywhen the engine after described. 1 starts on its 'own power. Moreover the construo- The pinion and nut are wholly disconnected tion ofiny drive is such that in the event of failure and physically independent of each other "and 15 ofthe icnanually'operated means to-work the drivsuch pinion'is held in norlnal position by a yield- 79 ing member may be automatically en aged with ing means such as the coiled spring 16 enciroling the engine nirnberl the screyv shaft and bearing atoneend'a'gainst In the drawings Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an the enlarged head 17 of the stop nut andatits engine starter einbodyin'g my'invention' with the other end against the pinion. I Asshown the outer end of the casing broken away; Fig. 2 a springfits over the body portionottlfi' 'st'op'r'iut :5

sectional elevation thereof; Fig. 3 a section of a 'so thatwhen the pinion is in'cont'act with'suoh' a modified 'form of construction of drive; and Fig. stop nut the spring will be in compressed condii a section of another modified fo'rin. tion substantially "within the c'qnip'ass of the For the sake of a clear and definite descript sto j i i i of myinvention I 'have'fseleeted the particular" Des'oribing the manually operated means, such 89 einbodinient thereof as illustrated in the drawings means and the drive are arranged within a cas-" Without intention of 'liinitationthe'reto. Moreiii'g'd which is secured by the studs 19th the over while I have shown the single reduction and motor frame. This easing has a bearingf 20 for outboard yp of drive W b li e stoodthat thefout'er end of'tne' Mannie-Santana also my inventio s'e iually pp eab e to t doub supports 21, 22 for the oppositegendslofastationreduction and'also inboard type of drive! "an; "shaft 23 which is parallel to the" arinature As i' lshown h prime mover wh c is h shaft. A"'sleeve 24' is "mounted to slide oil-the an electric'm'otor 1 has f x en r a shaft 23 and'the'sanie fearries a shifter devicefzs shaft 2 on which the drive or transmission iswh h includes 3 51;}; g2 fd'bfid hft r mounted and by which itis rotated. The driving from and terminating in invv rdlyypro "ti 90 head 3' is secured to the armature shaft 2 by the rounded portions oi-",,1- ii1e'r's"2v whicli' are ar stud A h0110vfscrew st1aft 5 s ou t d 't range to Contact the projecting aiim'il'ar p'o'r armature shaft and provided with a driven head 6 tw f the flang 13 i A S ft ei lv f at its inner end a with Stop 1111i 7 at its 011561 mounted to slide on the sleeve. 24 and is held The vvo em 3 a d "?9l? t l 0 yieldingly to its end position at "the right By a 95 nected by Y i driving QDI P I h c coiled spring 29. A second shifter device 30 inh re a torsion driv spri 8 anc r at DP- eluding yokeiirmi train int'tirned rfiiiidd porposite ends respectively to the stud 4 and to the 't 011 13 32 1 p dv' d f dij f t 'with stud 9. i "the sleeve 28. Thisjyoke ilo is'secured to a rock, m

pinion 19 having'teeth'adapted toinesh with the t Casing d ti v lyponnectedby ni ea nsiof teeth of the e gine t be rt su t e t the amiss, with the manually operated vertical 11 of the engine flywheel 12. This pinion has a-p1ujngen3d 1 This plunger is ej 'man mam smooth central bore by which it is loosely mounted 'wardly' pressed y $1 k oi d lfip'ring j 37. lfTh on the screw threads of the screw shaft with the lungerlcar'ries an adjustable shrew 38 in whose :35

result that it has freedom of movement ,both path of'mpvement is interposed thebuttoii 3910f rotarily and longitudinally along S ubstantially the the electric switch 40 of the motor. I

entire lengthor the screw shaft. This pinion is Describing aj cycle of operation jandlstarting provided at its innerend with a contact or bearing v with the parte in their normal positionshowhin I face formed airing or fi g l l a h may be Fig: l, the first downward movement of.,the

plunger rocks the shaft 33 and moves the sleeve 28 tothe left thereby carrying with it yieldingly the sleeve 24 and shifter device 25 and also moving the pinion 10 bodily to the left and into mesh with the flywheel. As soon as the pinion has been meshed with the flywheel the switch 40 will be operated by the plunger and the armature shaft will be rotated, with the result that the nut 14 will be automatically advanced forwardly to the left and into clamping contact with the pinion, whereupon such pinion will be drivingly connected with the screw shaft. After the engine starts on its own power and the operator has released the manually operated means, the nut 14 will be automatically retracted to its normal position and the spring 16 will move the pinion out of mesh and to its normal position.

In the event that the pinion teeth and flywheel teeth should abut end to end the construction is such in the manually operated means that the downward movement of the plunger may 7 continue without danger of breaking or jamming of any of the parts. This result is obtained by the yielding operating connection between the sleeves 28 and 24 provided by the spring 29. When under this abutting condition the screw shaft rotates, the nut 14 will be automatically advanced longitudinally and into contact with the pinion which will thereupon pinion bore.

rotate slightly angularly so as to come into mesh with the flywheel.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modified form of construction according to which the screw shaft has a screw threaded portion 41 on which the nut is threaded and a plain portion here formed by a separate bushing 42 on which the pinion slides thereby providing a substantial support for the pinion throughout its length during the driving operation. Otherwise the construction is the same and the operation'the same as above set forth.

If according to the modification of Fig. 4, the screw shaft 43 has a plain portion 44 with a stop nut '7 at its outer end. A two diameter collar 46 encircles such portion with its larger diameter overhanging the light coiled spring 47 interposed between it and the nut, and with its smaller diameter entering'the outer portion of the When the pinion is shifted longitudinally along the shaft against the spring pressure, the collar will likewise be shifted until the outer end of the collar contacts and is arrested by the stop nut. tion is the same.

It will be understood that the plunger may be operated either by hand or foot and therefore when in the claims I refer .to manual operation it will be understood that pedal operation is also within the meaning and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for. longitudinal movement thereon, manually In other respects the operaoperated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means which is adapted to be driven by said shaft and which is movable in one direction relatively to the driving member and by the final movement of which in the same direction the driving relation between said means and driving member is established.

2. An engine starter apparatus including a prime mover, a shaft rotated thereby, a driving member mounted on the'shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means which is adapted to be driven by said shaft and which is arranged on the shaft rearwardly of the driving member and which is movable relatively to such driving member, by the final movement of which means the driving relation between said means and the driving member is established.

3. An engine starter apparatus including a prime mover, a shaft rotated thereby, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means which is adapted to act upon the driving member for causing it to be operatively connected with the shaft, and which permits the prime mover to have a running start, such latter means comprising a member mounted on the shaft for automatic longitudinal travel along the shaft when the latter is rotated.

4. An engine starter apparatus including an electric motor, a shaft rotated thereby, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereof, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and an actuating member mounted on the shaft for automatic lon gitudinal movement thereon when the motor is operated to thereupon act upon the driving member for drivingly connecting it'with the shaft and so mounted as to permit the electric motor to have a running start.

5. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw-shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, and manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started.

6. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft and manually operated means for shifting its driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said means including a yielding connection.

7. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw-shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft and manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started said means including alongitudinally movable yoke adapted to loosely C011".

member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, and manually operated means for shiftingthe driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said means comprising a yoke mounted to move longitudinally and to engage the driv ing memberito shift it longitudinally, a sleeve, .a spring between the sleeve and yoke, and manual means for shifting the sleeve.

9. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member loosely mounted on the shaft for free longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, and manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said-means comprising a stationary shaft parallel to said rotatable shaft, a yoke havmounted on the shaft for free longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, and manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, said means including a longitudinally movable yoke adapted to looselycontact the driving member for moving the latter only in the direction for engagement with the engine member said driving member having a flange with which the yoke contacts in said movement longitudinally on the shaft. 1

11. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member loosely mounted on the shaft for free longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, and manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into en agement with a member of the engine to be started, said two members-having cooperating flanges and the flange of the driving member projecting beyond the flange of the screw member, and manually operated means acting on said projecting portion of the driving member flange for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started.

12. An engine starter drive including a screw shaft, a pinion mounted loosely thereon for free longitudinal movement and adapted to engage a member of the engine to be started, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement and adapted to engage the pinion when in engagement with the engine member and thereby operatively connect the pinion and shaft, and manually operated means for shifting the pinion longitudinally into engagement with the engine member.

13. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft a driving member loosely mounted on the shaft for free longitudinal movement thereon,

a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinallyof the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means for shifting the driving member longitudinally in the opposite directionafter the engine has started on its own power.

, 14. An engine starter drive including a rotatable screw shaft, a driving member loosely mounted on the shaft for free longitudinal movement thereon, a screw member threaded on the shaft for automatic longitudinal movement against the driving member as an incident to the rotation of the shaft, manually operated means for shifting the driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started and a spring for shifting the driving member longitudinally in the opposite direction after the engine has started on its own power.

15. An engine starter drive including, in combination with a starting'motor and its electrical switch and with a member of the engine to be started, a driving member adapted to be shifted to engage and drive said engine member but normally disengaged therefrom, manual means for so shifting the driving member, means for actuating said switch for rotating the motor prior to full engagement between said members, and operating connections located between the motor and driving member and constructed and arranged to permit such prior rotation of the motor, which rotation causes to be established the driving connection between the driving member and said connections.

16. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, an actuating member mounted upon and driven by the shaft and having a mevement'longitudinally on the shaft, which movement is independent of the movement of said driving member, andwhich movement establishes driving relation between the driving member and shaft, and a friction clutch between the driving member and the actuating member. f

17. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, an

actuating member mounted upon and driven by the shaft and having a movement longitudinally on the shaft, which-movement is independent of the movement of said driving member, and which movement establishes driving relation between the driving member and shaft, and a friction clutch located between the driving memher and the. actuating member and arranged to be automatically released when the engine member becomes the driver.

18. An engine starter apparatus including a screw shaft, a pinion mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, manually operated means for shifting such pinion longitudinally of the shaft and into engagement with a member of the engine to be started, a screw member threaded on the screw shaft and driven thereby, and a friction clutch between the pinion and the screwmember.

19. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, and adapted to be driven thereby, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft, and means mounted on said shaft for longitudinal movement thereon to contact the driving member, and also mounted on said shaft for rotary movement therewith after contact with the driving member.

20. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft for longitudinal movement thereon, and adapted to be driven thereby, manually operated means for shifting such driving member longitudinally of the shaft, and means mounted on said shaft for automatic longitudinal movement thereon to contact the driving member by reason of relative rotation between them and also mounted on said shaft for rotary movement therewith after contact with the driving member.

21. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member movable longitudinally thereon for engagement with a member of the engine to be started, manually operated means for moving such driving member longitudinally into such engagement, and means separate from the driving member and movable relative to the shaft cooperating with the shaft and driving member for establishing driving relation between the driving member and the shaft after such driving member has reached a positive'limit in its longitudinal movement.

22. An engine starter apparatus including a shaft, a driving member movable longitudinally thereon for engagement with a member of the engine to be started, manually operated means for moving such driving member longitudinally into such engagement, and means separate from the driving member and controlled by the rotation of the shaft and adapted to establish driving relation between the driving member and the shaft after such engagement of the driving mem: ber with theengine member.

23. An engine starter apparatusincluding a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted for longitudinal movement thereon into engagement with a member of the engine to be started and adapted to be rotatably connected therewith, manually operated means which is unconnected with such driving member but adapted to contact which is unconnected with such driving member but adapted to move the same longitudinally in one direction only, means for establishing driving connection between the shaft and driving member after such longitudinal movement, and means on the shaft for moving the driving member in the opposite direction to thereby disconnect the same from the engine member.

25. An engine starter apparatus including a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted for longitudinal movement thereon into engagement with a member of the engine to be started and adapted to be rotatably connected therewith, said driving member being in the form of a pinion having a disk at its non-engaging end, manually operated means having a member adapted to contact the edge of such disk and to move the pinion longitudinally in one direction only and into engagement, means for establishing driving connection between the shaft and driving member after such longitudinal movement, and means on the shaft for automatically disconnecting the pinion from the engine member when the engine operates under its own power.

WILLIAM L. MCGRATH. 

